> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://tools.osintnewsletter.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://tools.osintnewsletter.com/osint-tools/4shared.md).
# 4shared
Tool Description: File-sharing and cloud-storage platform with a public search function.
| **Tool name** | **Quick Overview** |
| ---------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| URL | |
| What it does | Searches and hosts publicly shared files. |
| How to use it | Search by filename, keyword, file type or size, then review results. |
| Cost | Partially Free. |
| Account required | Not always for discovery. Verified account required for many features and downloads. |
| Cookies | No 4shared cookies. Google session, security, and consent cookies |
| Ownership | Operated by New IT Solutions Ltd in Torton UK, founded by Alex Lunkov. |
| Use in Reporting | Useful for documenting and corroborating publicly available files and links. |
### What does 4shared do?
4shared is a file-hosting and file-sharing service, allowing you to upload, store, search, preview and share files through web links. Its public search function can expose files that users have deliberately made searchable.
**The lowdown:** It can find files that may not appear prominently in conventional web-search results.
### How to Use:
**1. Search for a relevant keyword, filename, username, organisation or distinctive phrase. Use the advanced search options where available to narrow results by file type or size.**
**Note:** If you want to contribute to 4shared, you can upload files here too.
**2. Review results manually. Examine the filename, file type, uploader information, descriptions, folder structure and available timestamps or statistics. Treat these as leads rather than automatically verified facts.**
**3. Open relevant files where appropriate and where available, and record the URL, filename as well as any useful identifying information. Preserve the original source and document the date/time of collection, particularly if the material may later be used as evidence.**
### Cost
* [ ] Free
* [x] Partially Free
* [ ] Paid
Free tier available with premium plans also offered.
## Data Processing
### Account Required:
* [x] Yes
* [x] No
Not always for discovery but a verified account is required for many features and downloads.
### Cookies:
No 4shared cookies.
Google session, security and consent cookies were present in the browser cookie store during our site session on 13 August 2026.
### Use in Reporting
4shared is useful for:
* Locating publicly shared documents, images, videos and other files linked to a person, organisation or subject.
* Helping identify older or obscure material that may not appear in standard search-engine results.
* Tracing copies of files, including material that may have been reposted across multiple platforms.
* Supporting investigations into usernames, organisations, or distinctive filenames by identifying associated uploads.
* Corroborating material found through other OSINT sources by comparing filenames, content and publication details.
For example,[ Public Intelligence ](https://publicintelligence.net/usarmy-tech-escort/)reported that a restricted U.S. Army Technical Escort Battalion manual had originally been posted on 4shared.
| **Capabilities** | **Limitations** |
| --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Provides access to a large repository of user-uploaded and publicly shared files. | Search results depend on files being publicly searchable and available. |
| Supports searching for files using keywords, filenames and file types. | Does not provide comprehensive coverage of all files hosted on the platform. |
| Can surface documents, images, videos, audio, and other digital content. | Files can be deleted, moved, restricted or become unavailable. |
| Useful for locating older, obscure, or hard to find files. | Uploader information doesn’t prove authorship or ownership of a file. |
| Provides file, folder and uploader information where publicly available. | Search and download functionality may be restricted by account or access requirements. |
### Summary
4shared best fits in the discovery and collection stages of the OSINT workflow where investigators can use it to discover publicly shared files and generate leads, then move into verification and analysis by examining the file itself.
Its greatest value is finding hard-to-locate or older digital material that may not surface through conventional search engines. However, results should be treated cautiously because public indexing is selective, files can disappear, and uploader identity does not necessarily establish authorship/provenance.
### Ownership
4shared is operated by New IT Solutions Ltd, founded by Ukrainian Alex Lunkov. Its HQ is in Torton, Worcestershire, UK, originally developed in Ukraine.
### Ethical Considerations
* Only access material that is relevant and proportionate to the investigation.
* Do not download, redistribute or retain sensitive material unnecessarily.
* Treat files as potentially untrusted; scan downloads before opening them in an appropriate environment.
* Do not assume that a file's presence on 4shared establishes its legality, authenticity, ownership or provenance.
* Consider privacy implications when researching personal information or sensitive material.
* Preserve source URLs and collection details so findings can be independently reviewed.
### Related Tools:
* [Wayback Machine](/osint-tools/wayback-machine.md)
* [VirusTotal](/osint-tools/virustotal.md)
* [File Phish](/osint-tools/file-phish.md)
* [de-digger](/osint-tools/de-digger.md)
#### Sources